Emergency escape-way for mines.



J. HOSKINS.

EMERGENCY ESCAPE WAY FOR MINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, I915.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

IHosmNs TTNTTED STATES PATENT QFFHJE.

JOSIAH HOSKIN S, OF FRENCH GULGH, CALIFORNIA.

EMERGENCY ESCAPE-WAY FOB MINES.

ing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved emergency escape way for mines and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character, whereby loss of life of the mine workmen, incident to disasters commonly occurring in mines, may be obviated.

The invention has for a more particular object to provide a device of the above character which will permit of the escape of the workmen in case of disaster, said device including a main escape shaft to which any desired number of laterally extending shafts or conduits leading into the drifts or gangways of the mine may be connected, said main escape shaft being provided with suitable doors at the various levels through which the workmen may find entrance to the interior thereof, said shaft being provided with a ladder or equivalent means for affording an easy means of ascent to the ground surface.

It is another important object of my invention to provide means in connection with the emergency escape way for withdrawing foul air and gases from the mine so that the workmen will not be overcome thereby.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a mine showing my improved escape way as applied in actual use; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1; and Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

. Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the main vgtical escape shaft which is constructed in a plurality of sections provided on their opposite ends with collars or flanges, indicated at 6. Suitable packing is arranged between the flanges of the adjacent pipe sections and said sections are securely bolted together, as at 7, to pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 1 1915. Serial No. 31,615.

vide hermetically sealed joints between the several sections of the shaft. The lower end of this vertical pipe or escape shaft is similarly jointed or connected to a laterally extending horizontal shaft or conduit 8. Bymeans of T or elbow joints, additional sections may be connected to this laterally extended pipe and said pipes or conduits 8 extended into every room of the mine workings, as will be readily understood. The main vertical pipe or shaft 5, as well as the horizontally disposed pipes or conduits 8 are divided by-the longitudinal extending walls 9 to provide the main compartments 10 therein and the relatively small compartments 11. The smaller compartments 11 of the vertically and laterally extending pipes-or shafts are in communication with each other, as clearly shown in 'Fig. 1, to provide an unobstructed passage through which foul air and gasmay be drawn. For this purpose, the upper end of the'compartment 11 of the vertical escape shaft 5 opens to one side of the pipe and through the same, the pipe 12 being connected which extends to a suitable draft furnace. The passages 10 and 11, at the ends of the laterally disposed pipes or conduits extending into the various rooms of the mine are also open and in communication with each other, so that the foul air and gas will be drawn from the mine through the passages 11 and fresh air drawn from the mine through the passages 10.

The vertically disposed pipe or shaft 5 is provided at the several working levels of the mine with hinged doors 13 whereby access may be had to the compartment 10 of said shaft. These doors are equipped with suitable snap fasteners or looking devices, indicated at 14:, so that, after the workman has entered the compartment 10, the door may be closed to securely seal the door opening and prevent the entrance of foul air or 7 gas to the shaft.

Bolts 15 extend diametrically through the walls of the vertical main shaft 5 and through the longitudinal bars of the ladders, indicated at 16. These ladders may be made in sections of any desired length and the lower section extends downwardly into the compartment 10 of the lateral pipe or conduit 8. The opposite edges of the division wall 9, extending from the main shaft 5 in this passage of the lateral shaft,

are sloping or inclined, as at 17. Over the upper end of the main shaft 5 which ex tends above the ground surface, a suitable hood 18 is mounted so as toprevent dirt or other foreign matter dropping into said shaft and fillingthe lateral shaft or conduit provided as the mine workings may be more or less extensive. The several pipes or conduits of the escape way arepreferably constructed of heavy galvanized iron so that they will withstand the strains and pres-i sures which may be devolved thereon. The transverse bolts 15, extending through the walls of the main shaft 5, serve to reinforce the same and also provide convenient means for supporting the escape ladders in the chamber or compartments 10 of said shaft. The passage 11, through which the foul air is drawn, is closed at the upper end of the shaft 5 by meansof the wall 19. The laterally extending-pipeor conduit to which the verticalshaft 5 is connected, is preferably sunk below the ground level of the mine drift and covered with cement or other suitable material. I

In the actual use of the invention, when an explosion or other disaster occurs in the mine, the workmen therein enter the compartment 10 of the shaft 5 through the doorways provided, or enter the lateral conduits or pipes 8 extending into the several rooms of the mine, finally arriving at the" lower end of one of the vertical shafts 5. The workmen then ascend the ladders in the vertical shafts and thus may easily and quickly reach the ground surface. 'As before stated, as a forced draft is created through the several rooms or chambers of the mine andthrough the passages 11, ac-

cumulations of gas will be withdrawn from. the mine and fresh air continuously supplied thereto, thus obviating the suffocation of the workmen before they can reach the vertical escape shafts.

From the above description,.taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

the construction, manner of operation and clearly and fully understood.

It will be seen that I have provided a is well adapted for thepurpose in view.

The invention may also be installed in mines at comparatively small cost and affords a meansof ready escape for miners in cases of explosion, inundations, or similar disasters in the workings of the mine.

While I have above described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several features'of my invention, it is to be understood that the relative arrangement of the several parts of the conduit, as well as the diameter thereof, may be varied to suit existing conditions and that the invention is also susceptibleof other minor simple and highly serviceable emergency escape which modifications without departing from the essential features or sacrificing any oftheadvantages thereof.

' Having thus fully described my inven tion, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is An emergency escape way forrmines including a vertical shaft and a lateral conduit connected to the lower end of said shaft, a longitudinal division wall extending through the vertical shaft and providing a gas passage and an entrance and escape passage, a longitudinal division wall extending through the conduit and providing a gas passage therein, said latter wall' closing the lower end of the entrance and escape passage in the vertical shaft, said gas passages of the vertical shaft and the conduit being in communication with each other, and wings projecting laterally from the opposite edges of the longitudinal di- I vision wall in the vertical shaft at its lower end to the wall of saidconduit to prevent the passage of the gas from said gas passages into the entrance and escape passage in the vertical shaft.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiixmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH I-IOSKINS. Witnessesf WM. FRANOK, Y J OE F. Kj a'roH.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addres'sizigtthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington; 1). c." 

